A leather bag with part of lion skin attached. Purchased in March 1964 in Nairobi, Kenya. It was gifted to the Handling Collection by the donor in October 2018. The donor's grandmother gave her the bag. Margaret was gifted this bag by her husband in 1962. A letter attached to entry form written by her grandmother in October 2018 reads: "My husbands first placing with the Royal Air Force was to Kenya in 1962. We lived just on the outskirts of the beautiful city of Nairobi and celebrated my 21st birthday out here in March 1964, just a few months after they gained independence. My husband bought me this handbag for my birthday. I am afraid I do not have the reciept for it but I do clearly remember the shop in the centre of the city where it was purchased, going back to the sixties there was not a great problem with poachers, I chose the lion skin bag because of the story behind it. We went to the game reserve numerous times and met members of the Maasai tribe. They would have the young males kill a lion with a spear as part of becoming a man. I was told they ate the meat and the skin sold to make gifts like mine all part of helping the economy . It's not easy to part with the bag, it holds lots of memories but if it helps in anyway to help the needless slaughters of these animals then you are very welcome to it."
handbags (bags (containers))
Collection Information
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